Carbonara is usually on my Friday night menu because it’s one of those tasty dishes that take very little time to prepare and use common ingredients (eggs, cheese, spaghetti).  You may need to pick up some pancetta or keep a package in the freezer for ‘one of those days’.

One of the most important steps in making a creamy carbonara happens right after the pasta has been removed from the water.  It’s essential when adding the egg to the sauce pan to not heat it too much or the egg will begin to look more like a scramble.  Adding 1/4 cup of starchy pasta water and turning off the heat completely, while mixing vigorously with a whisk, will ensure that your carbonara turns out creamy.

Variations: I’ve used this recipe and substituted the pancetta for shrimp or lobster to make a seafood version. You can even add shredded zucchini to the pancetta to sneak in some veggies for the kids. They will love it.

To make a 450g package of spaghetti (which usually feeds 4-6 people (or 3 grown or growing men in our house) you will need:

• 1 package spaghetti (450g)
• 1/4 cup salt
• 150g cubed pancetta (store bought or you can cube yourself), feel free to use more if you wish. I usually end up eating half of it. Pancetta is so good.
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1 tablespoon parsley for garnish
• 4 tablespoons grated parmigiano cheese
• 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste.  Add pasta and cook to time indicated on the package.
2. In the meantime, add butter and olive oil to a deep sautéed pan.  Add pancetta and fry until pancetta becomes translucent.  Turn off heat.
3. Add beaten eggs, grated cheese and the pasta water to the sautéed pan. Mix vigorously using a whisk or fork so as not to clump the eggs.
4. Remove the pasta from the pot using tongs. Drop into pasta sauce and stir.  Let sit in the sauce until some of the pasta has absorbed the liquid.
5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.